Benson Sculpture Garden in Loveland, Colorado, prepares for another successful edition of Sculpture in the Park, organized by the Loveland High Plains Arts Council. This special event will feature over 2,000 sculptures in a variety of mediums, with the picturesque Rocky Mountains as a backdrop. Approximately 160 national and international juried artists are participating and will be in attendance for the largest outdoor juried show and sale in the country. People enjoying a past Sculpture in the Park event.“One of the things that’s particularly unique about the show is visitors get to meet all of the artists in person to talk to them about their pieces…” says council executive director Donna Visocky. This year’s event will have 20 first-time participants, bringing new, never-before seen work, along with returning artists showcasing at least 75 percent new or recently produced pieces.

Festivities begin with the launch of the ticketed Patron Party on Friday, August 12 from 3 to 8 p.m. “The ‘adults only’ event will feature cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and is where serious collectors can chat with artists and shop in a more relaxed environment,” explains Visocky. Doors open to the public the following day, Saturday, August 13 from 9:30 a.m to 6:00 p.m. and then Sunday, August 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  In addition, a silent auction tent will be available throughout the weekend for collectors to bid on select pieces.  Jeff Jones, Patience, bronze, 14 x 14 x 7"

Attendees can expect to see masterpieces like Victor Issa’s life-sized bronze Ascension, the artists newest work that features a female figure—exuding beauty, strength and elegance. “I find the human form intrinsically and eternally beautiful, challenging, inspiring and a perfect vehicle to communicate themes, stories, ideas and emotions,” says Issa. “Creating ‘living’ bronze was assigned to my work by my collectors because they insisted that the work look alive. Whether liturgical, whimsical, classical, allegorical, or a sensitively captured portrait, there is no equal to transforming vision into clay, then into glorious and enduring bronze.”Loveland High Plains Arts Council, Ode to Childhood, bronze, height: 32", by Lorri Acott.

Other noteworthy sculpture includes the distinct bronze pieces of Lorri Acott like Ode to Childhood, inspired by a book by Nancy Tillman called The Crown on your Head. Acott explains that “it speaks to me about the truth that all of us are worthy, each of us is magnificent—from the time we are born.” Nick Leonoff will feature eye catching glass work like Bimorphic Portal #36. “The luminescent qualities of glass appeal to me as it responds to light,” he notes. “I am drawn to the potential of a material that can vary from a translucent to an opaque medium in a brilliant range of colors and gradations.”John Booth, Spirit Pony, bronze, height: 13"; LaChaussee Blown Glass, Phoenix Gourd, blown glass, 10 x 11 x 11", by Joi and Dan LaChaussee.

The handblown glass work by LaChaussee Blown Glass, also displayed at the show, is a 100-percent intensive hands-on concentrated effort, and finished by a team of two to three glass blowers. The designs are a collaboration of [artist’s] Joi and Dan’s 40 years of making glass art that combines their love of art, nature and travel. Ideas are inspired by any combination of these things with an emphasis on an original approach and result. Each piece is signed with their name, the series name and the year executed. “Our glass is a heartfelt expression of joy that we share,” says the artist duo. From left: Loveland High Plains Arts Council, Bimorphic Portal #36, glass, height: 11½", by Nick Leonoff; Victor Issa, Freedom, bronze, 73 x 54 x 28"; Kevin Robb, Swans on the Lake, stainless steel, 84 x 39 x 52"

Over the past four decades, renowned Colorado metal sculptor Kevin Robb has made his mark on the national and international art scene. With a unique style and consummate welding quality that have defined and differentiated his work, Kevin’s sculptures like Notes of Appreciation and Swans on the Lake, are not created according to a set plan. The placement of each element is an answer to a question of relationships, which he discovers as the work is in progress. He becomes one with the metal and intuitively knows the precise twists and turns that will be required to achieve the desired result. Victor Issa, Come Unto Me, bronze (life size), 60 x 132 x 84"

John Booth’s work explores the history of art and dress between all of the American Indian tribes. With influences as diverse as the Chinese dynasty and Roman sculpture, new inspiration is crafted from study and contemporary imagination. “Ever since I was five years old,” says Booth, “I have been fascinated by the process sculpture. What starts out as a lump of clay soon becomes a piece of art, leaving a feeling of power and a sense of accomplishment. From left: LaChaussee Blown Glass, Sunflower Basket, blown glass, 16 x 16 x 13", by Joi and Dan LaChaussee; Victor Issa, Ascension, clay for bronze, 77 x 58 x 56"; Kevin Robb, Notes of Appreciation, stainless steel, 137 x 64 x 59"

As the sculptural form becomes purified through the process of fire and smoke, the piece takes its place with an insight into the creativity of modern and historical art.”

Please visit the art fair website for additional information and entry fees for both the public viewing and the Patron Party. —

38th Annual Sculpture in the Park
When: August 12-14, 2022
Where: Benson Sculpture Garden, 2908 Aspen Drive, Loveland, CO 80538
Information: (970) 663-2940, www.sculptureinthepark.org 

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